Letters to the editor: Bus passengers bypassed

June 12, 2013 12:01 AM

June 12, 2013 12:01 AM

I hope the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority and Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott's office are happy about stopping buses on State Street. They don't seem to care about the people who depend on the buses every day. EMTA says the changes are being made due to congestion. New York City and Los Angeles have congestion. Erie doesn't have congestion. Most of the time State Street doesn't have much traffic at all.

I would like to know the real reason these changes are being made. I would like to know who was complaining. Is the real reason that because there are a few undesirables, everyone riding the bus is considered an undesirable? I think the real reason there were no public meetings is that those in charge didn't care what the public thought. They had already made up their minds. They didn't want to give their customers a forum to make their voices heard because they just don't care.

This is public transportation; the jobs at EMTA depend on people riding their buses. Yet they go out of their way to make this as difficult as they can. Without bus commuters, you have no bus company, and you have no jobs.

This is just another example of people with power and authority doing what they want and not caring what anyone thinks. I feel bad for the disabled and elderly people who have great difficulty getting around. No consideration has been given to them at all.

I think EMTA's real motto is: "You think we care?" They don't seem to care about anyone except themselves. They should be ashamed.

Robert J. Hiegel Jr.Erie

Religious freedom applies to all

I was distressed to read Ann M. Filutze's recent letter "Are religious freedoms unequal?" (Erie Times-News, May 31). She was concerned about a group of seven men, presumably Muslim, who were praying at an Ohio Turnpike rest area. Her understanding was that a permit should have been obtained by these men to say their prayers.

Really? Why would a permit be required for seven people traveling together on the interstate who stopped to pray? I wonder if the writer would have had the same concerns had these men had clergy collars and crosses, or if they were nuns with rosary beads. Or how about a group of Jewish men with yarmulkes or Buddhist monks in robes and bare feet? Or a family holding hands around a tree?

What has happened to our religious freedoms? Nothing! That is why a group of seven men can say their prayers, in public, and not be concerned about the government interfering with their right to do so. Our country was founded for religious freedom for Christians; now we celebrate religious freedom for many religions, and even for those who have no religion. The Bill of Rights protects the rights of all of us, not just those with whom we agree or are comfortable.

'Critical thinker' quick to criticize

This letter is in response to S.J. Sullivan's letter, in which he wrote that disinterest in critical thinking "is one of the significant dangers of organized religion. Fortunately, there are religious denominations, such as Unitarian Universalism, in which critical thinking is valued and emphasized" ("Reflections draw comments," Erie Times-News, June 2).

Well, well, how satisfying it is to be a self-congratulatory, backslapping "critical thinker" dwelling in a church of critical thinkers. According to Sullivan, other people in other churches with other faiths just do not measure up. It appears that there is a downside to critical thinking, especially in how other people in other churches are critically thought of.

J.L. DeckerErie

Don't forget attack on USS Liberty

On June 8, 1967, during the Six Day War between Israel and the Arab states, the American intelligence ship USS Liberty was attacked for more than 75 minutes by Israeli aircraft and motor torpedo boats. Liberty was left with more than 820 rocket and cannon holes, suffered a 40-foot torpedo hole and was burned from napalm.

Armed only with four 50-caliber machine guns, Liberty was not able to defend itself. Out of a crew of 294 aboard, 174 were wounded and 34 were murdered.

After 46 years, it's way past time for the truth about this atrocity perpetuated by the United States' "closest ally and best friend in the Middle East" to be revealed. Americans should never forget this treachery.

It is time again to remember the USS Liberty.

George ShahinAshtabula, Ohio

EMTA isn't held accountable

Moving the buses off State Street to Peach and French makes no sense. The whole point of a public transit system is to take people where they need to go. The two main reasons people take the bus downtown are to transfer or to go places on State Street. A person trying to transfer east or west now will have to walk two blocks. That isn't easy with a couple of kids in tow.

And what about people in wheelchairs or who use walkers or canes? And Mayor Joe Sinnott supports the idea! His excuse that it will help mitigate congestion on State Street is absurd. The buses were running on State Street before the current design was put in place. State Street is made for bus traffic. This is a perfect example of why unaccountable authorities like the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority are a bad idea.

Brandon MagoonErie

Editor's note: EMTA officials said they have sought to make special accommodations so people won't have to make a two-block walk for transfers. Fees for so-called "ride-arounds" have been eliminated, so riders can remain on a southbound bus until it heads north and vice versa.

Closing schools hurts home values

A real estate agent once told me that one of the most valuable assets in the valuation of a home is the existence of a neighborhood school, especially an elementary school.

If the Millcreek School Board closes Ridgefield and Vernondale elementary schools, the homeowners in those school areas will be able to request a reduction of between 15 and 25 percent in their home assessments because the asset of a neighborhood school is no longer there.

This decline in tax revenue will not be offset in the other neighborhood school areas because the value of a nearby school is already included in their assessment. How much is that going to increase the school district's debt?

Jim FlynnErie

Arrests raise trust issues

If any of the city workers accused of theft are convicted and retain their jobs, I will do my best not to ever pay a tax in the city again ("City workers charged," Erie Times-News, May 29).

It seems that anything being paid off the backs of the taxpayer in the city of Erie is being stolen or misused.

By the way, what happened to the person who stole the money paid for fines at the police department? Does anybody know?